Decades ago I met a man that would teach
me many lessons on how to live well.
He was my brother's friend and when I first
met him, it was some time in the 80's and
I was telling him about a new salad dressing
I had just tasted ~ honey mustard. A few weeks
later I got a present ~ a jar of the dressing. I had
never seen it before, but he found it. Of course,
I wrote him a thank you note and he then wrote me
a thank you for my thank you. And that was
the beginning of a lovely friendship.
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I would see this man from time to time while
I still lived on the east coast but then I married,
moved to the Midwest, had kids, etc.
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I didn't see him again until years later
when I brought the kids to NYC for the
first summer of the Hoosier Experiment.
He thought the "experiment"was such a
great idea, he lent me his beach house so
the kids could experience that too.
Lee was a fixture on Fire Island. He knew
how to live well and made everyone he met
feel welcome. The little house in The Pines
had a house cocktail ~ I remember it as frozen
lemonade & vodka, there was a house dip ~a
jar of Pimento spread mixed with something.
And the house was always open, even if he
wasn't home. He encouraged you to come
in, write a note in the guest book and grab
a handful of M&M's ~ the pastel ones...
Sadly, our friend left this world yesterday.
He had moved to Florida, he was ill but
didn't tell people because he didn't want
people to fuss. I think heaven is probably
a better place already because he's there.
And he probably has a guest book...
Rest in Peace, Lee.
